The annual New Years special have finally been scrapped in favour of a single, 60-minute, ‘Review of 2022’ programme on Christmas Day. The description reads:

 

The special will take a look back over the last 12 months delving into Pop music’s biggest stories and showcasing performances from some of the hottest artists of 2022.

 

Hosted by Clara Amfo and Jack Saunders, the show has also been demoted to BBC Two as opposed to the main channel.

I guess this isn't too surprising since they've been scraping the barrel with artists on TOTP in recent memory. Shame TOTP has gone completely but even then I've not been as invested for that reason so probably for the best.

 

That sounds like a good alternative show though.

What a shame it used to be a major part of Christmas Day viewing!

Well, it doesn't say that it won't be the usual format or that it won't be on Christmas Day? The press office says "Top of the Pops returns for a Christmas special"

Edited November 29, 20222 yr by AcerBen

Well, it doesn't say that it won't be the usual format or that it won't be on Christmas Day? The press office says "Top of the Pops returns for a Christmas special"

Yeah, I assume it’ll still be on Christmas Day.

On the one hand I can't say I am surprised if they've done away with it altogether. I've struggled to sit through a Christmas Day episode in the last 5 years and despair on the facelessness of who they have on, not to mention it seems to be on earlier and earlier in the day than it used to be. On the other, this has always, for better or worse, been a corner stone of my Christmas TV viewing as someone who loves music and has followed the charts from the age of 7. It's almost as if the Beeb are intent on killing it off if they shunt it away on BBC Two.

In previous years I'm pretty sure it had been recorded now and the artists featured were listed in the press release.

 

This makes me think it'll just show performances from other BBC recordings this year. (Jools Holland, Reading & Leeds, Glastonbury, Live Lounge etc).

In previous years I'm pretty sure it had been recorded now and the artists featured were listed in the press release.

 

This makes me think it'll just show performances from other BBC recordings this year. (Jools Holland, Reading & Leeds, Glastonbury, Live Lounge etc).

 

No, there's still time. In fact many recent years TOTP hasn't been mentioned at all in the end of Nov press release, and it was only confirmed the following week. Usually filmed first or second week of Dec.

No, there's still time. In fact many recent years TOTP hasn't been mentioned at all in the end of Nov press release, and it was only confirmed the following week. Usually filmed first or second week of Dec.

Ah fair enough then, hopefully that's the case! Still though it wouldn't surprise me if that's what happens, last year's specials had quite a few previously-filmed performances.

Ah fair enough then, hopefully that's the case! Still though it wouldn't surprise me if that's what happens, last year's specials had quite a few previously-filmed performances.

 

Hope not. It would be very odd to announce it as one of the festive highlights if it was a glorified clip show.

Hope not. It would be very odd to announce it as one of the festive highlights if it was a glorified clip show.

The “festive highlights” press release is a massive list to be fair, all the Christmas-related programming this year is on it.

This has been superfluous for years, once a real staple now a bit of a waste of time. It was always great to relive the previous year and the festive chart-I loved BBC 4’s rerun of the 1998 special last year. But streaming has made both charts incredibly boring and the big artists won’t touch TOTP anymore. Even Ed Sheeran couldn’t be bothered last year. It’s not 2008 anymore, I think you could scrap it with no fuss.

The Christmas Day specials may be over. At least we have something else in its place rather than have nothing. I think the move may be a good idea.

One day they’ll bring back weekly TOTP properly, one day……

Well, it doesn't say that it won't be the usual format or that it won't be on Christmas Day? The press office says "Top of the Pops returns for a Christmas special"

 

Well that’s good at least!

Moving the Xmas Day shows to around 12pm indicated the writing was on the wall.

2022 has been a largely uneventful year for me musically. Worst ever Q4 release schedule and just lack of interesting releases in general this year. The singles chart has become somewhat stale and boring since streaming.

One day they’ll bring back weekly TOTP properly, one day……

They pretty much did with Sounds Like Friday Night - it just doesn’t work now.

They pretty much did with Sounds Like Friday Night - it just doesn’t work now.

 

I think there's a format that could work. If I had anything to do with it, I'd put it on Saturday evenings, go for a family audience rather than try to be too cool for school like SLFN did.

 

But finding that perfect recipe that worked would still be very difficult

This has been the highlight of Christmas TV for me, and the only two programmes per year that show music from the modern charts, so gutted it is being cut back, and worried if this is the end for Top of the Pops, how has it been rating in previous years, it was only back in 2014 they were talking about possibly having more episodes per year due to the good ratings, have they fallen significantly since then?

 

If anyone would like to see these continue, I recommend reaching out to the BBC to say how valued these are, it was likely only the fans that have kept these running this long.